Abstract
Acid mine drainage from sulfur-bearing waste rock and tailings is one of the most serious environmental challenges facing the mining industry today (Campbell and Marshall 1991). It is caused when metal sulfides in the waste material react with water and oxygen to form sulfuric acid, which in turn dissolves residual metals such as nickel, copper, iron, lead, or zinc. This process is dramatically accelerated by bacteria. The composition of acid mine drainage water is highly variable from site to site. The pH can vary from 3 to 6, and the concentration of metals can vary by several orders of magnitude.
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© 1995 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
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Michelutti, B., Wiseman, M. (1995). Engineered Wetlands as a Tailings Rehabilitation Strategy. In: Gunn, J.M. (eds) Restoration and Recovery of an Industrial Region. Springer Series on Environmental Management. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-2520-1_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-2520-1_10
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
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